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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 27, 2010

Dabo Swinney

THE MODERATOR: We now welcome Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. We'll bring on coach, ask for a brief opening statement, then go to questions.
COACH SWINNEY: Good to be with y'all today.
Really for us, this is another big opportunity to try to add some momentum. Just coming off another good win for us. It's a one-game season. That's kind of been our mentality. That's what we're trying to take up there to Boston College. It's a place we have not had a lot of success, just winning up there one time.
We have a ton of respect for this program. For us, it's just trying to continue to prepare well and take another step. They're always tough. I see them getting better. They've had two tough losses, one to FSU, one to Maryland in a row here. They got good players.
Probably the biggest thing about them is they've not been very settled at quarterback, but they seem to be now, and they're getting better. Got an outstanding runningback. Number one rush defense, number three total defense. It will be a big challenge for us to go up there.
For us, we've yet to finish a game on the road. That's what we have an opportunity to do and look forward to it.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach Swinney.

Q. There's a lot of pros and cons about mid-season coaching changes. A lot of coaches have told me when there's a change in mid-season, you can often lose the kids, there is a division, separation. When you took over two years ago, did you have to do any patchwork, kind of reinforce with the troops? How united was the team when you took over?
COACH SWINNEY: Oh, man, we were a team that was in complete disarray. The season was out of hand. It is a very difficult thing to take over a team in the middle of the season. No doubt about it.
For us, thankfully we had great senior leadership and guys made the right decisions and bought into some things. We were able to win some ballgames and finish on a positive note, make a Bowl game, all that stuff.
It's difficult. I've also been on the other side of that. I've been on a staff where the head coach was fired and finished out the season. Everybody knew it. That was a really bad situation, as well.
It's not great either way. But the main thing is you have to try to make the best of it.

Q. When the coach was fired, what happened there? How did the kids react?
COACH SWINNEY: Didn't go well. Didn't go well at all.

Q. Your defense put together some good games of late. What has been the key there?
COACH SWINNEY: Just playing smarter. They put three good games together playing smarter football. We really did some just dumb, dumb things in a couple of ballgames earlier in the year. That's probably the biggest thing, they're just playing smarter, taking more accountability, really practicing well. They're starting to gain a little bit of confidence that's growing from the success they've had the last three weeks.
Hopefully they'll continue to play that way.

Q. Coach, the PAC-10 says they're going to play their championship game at the home field of the team with the best record. Considering the challenges the ACC has had with attendance at its title game, do you think the ACC needs to consider that more?
COACH SWINNEY: I mean, that's certainly an option. I have a little bit of a different opinion on that. That's not for me to address at this point. But I've got a different solution. Nobody's asked me. It's one of those things that you address at the appropriate time. I'll do that within our league meetings and stuff.
But I definitely think that's something is an option. Wouldn't be my first choice.

Q. It would not be your first choice?
COACH SWINNEY: No.

Q. So if you won the league, you wouldn't want to have it at your place?
COACH SWINNEY: I mean, yeah, you would. I think for me and for our conference, I don't think that's the best thing. I think there's a better solution.
Again, I feel like it could be really a good situation for us. I'm anxious to see how it goes this year up in Charlotte. I think they'll have good attendance, all that. I still think there's a best-case scenario for our conference.

Q. What is that?
COACH SWINNEY: Again, there's a time to address certain things. I'll keep that to within our league meetings.

Q. Da'Quan Bowers had a terrific season for you last year. He seems to have even stepped it up this year. What made him so much better?
COACH SWINNEY: He's been a good player his first two years, but he's not been a dominant player, a great player. That's the biggest change, is he's been dominant every single week, every game. That is just a credit to his maturity. He's a third-year player. He understands it more. He understands the big picture better. He really got serious in the off-season. He took some criticism, took it to heart, went to work. He went from 290 pounds last year to 273. He's just a very focused player.
Had a great summer. He's really studied the game. He's a smart player. I'm just awful proud of him for how he's come to play every week. He's really become a big-time leader for us. The guys are rallying behind him. Really proud of how he's playing, seeing him have the success from all the hard work he's put in.

Q. I know he was really close to his dad, whom he lost earlier this year. Have you heard him talk dedicating the season to his father, anything like that?
COACH SWINNEY: Oh, yeah, I think he plays every game for his family and his father. His dad was his best friend. Very close relationship. Like I said, he was already just really dialed in and focused. He had this tragedy in his life right in the middle of camp. One or two things happen when we deal with things in life like what he's dealt with. We either spiral out of control and lose our focus or it fuels you. I think that's been the effect on Da'Quan. It's fuelled him to continue to stay the course. His dad was his biggest fan. He is playing every play like he's on a mission.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for being with us. Good luck this weekend. We'll talk to you next week.
COACH SWINNEY: Okay. Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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